South Korean biotech firms are making strategic moves in global public health procurement and medical aesthetics. SK Bioscience has secured its first influenza vaccine supply contract with UNICEF, expanding its public-procurement footprint. Meanwhile, CGBio is launching a new HA filler brand 'Eloyan' in China through a five-year partnership with local distributor UPS BIO. Separately, Biosolution will attend BIO USA 2026 to advance global partnerships for its cell therapy pipeline, including cartilage repair product CartiLife.
SK Bioscience secures first UNICEF flu vaccine order
SK Bioscience announced on June 2 that it has been officially designated as a 2026 influenza vaccine supplier to UNICEF, marking a milestone in expanding its presence in international public-procurement markets. The company has already begun shipping doses for Southern Hemisphere countries and will start supplying Northern Hemisphere volumes from September. Approximately 640,000 doses of flu vaccine are scheduled for sequential delivery throughout the year, aligned with each country's vaccination schedule. Supply destinations include Laos, Myanmar, and Fiji in the Southern Hemisphere, followed by Ethiopia, Lebanon, Albania, and Palestine in the Northern Hemisphere. SK Bioscience was selected as the sole supplier for Southern Hemisphere volumes and secured a major supplier position for Northern Hemisphere volumes. This enables the company to establish year-round production facility operations and build operational capacity to respond to different seasons and vaccination demands. This order is notable as SK Bioscience diversifies its supply channels beyond the existing PAHO (Pan American Health Organization) to include UNICEF, effectively securing both major global public-procurement channels. The company contributes to improving vaccine access in vulnerable countries while building a stable revenue-generating business model. The core product, SkyCellflu, is a cell-culture-based influenza vaccine that demonstrated excellent immunogenicity and safety in Phase 3 clinical trials. It is the world's first cell-culture flu vaccine to receive WHO prequalification (PQ) certification. The cell-culture method offers lower risk of viral mutation during production, higher match rates with circulating viruses, and shorter production times, enabling rapid supply during pandemic situations. "This first UNICEF order is a meaningful achievement that expands our global public-procurement market entry one step further," said SK Bioscience CEO Ahn Jae-yong. "We will continue to strengthen cooperation with international organizations to contribute to global infectious disease response and public health improvement."
CGBio launches new HA filler brand 'Eloyan' in China
CGBio, a regenerative medicine specialist, announced on June 2 that it has signed a hyaluronic acid (HA) filler supply agreement with Chinese medical aesthetics company ZheJiang Ups Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (UPS BIO) to jointly launch a new brand, 'Eloyan.' The five-year contract targets approximately KRW 30 billion (USD 23 million) in brand sales through local distribution channels. This collaboration marks CGBio's first addition of a new brand alongside its existing HA filler brand 'GISELLELIGNE' in China, signaling the start of a multi-brand strategy. The Chinese medical aesthetics market features diverse brand preferences and consumer characteristics by region and channel, making multi-brand segmentation a common approach. CGBio's HA filler products received NMPA approval in 2019 and have been supplied under the GISELLELIGNE brand. With this agreement, CGBio will leverage its existing brand operation experience to launch Eloyan and build a brand portfolio optimized for regional and channel-specific characteristics, expanding market influence. UPS BIO possesses a medical aesthetics hospital network and KOL-based marketing capabilities in China, with experience bringing global medical aesthetic products—including German and Korean HA fillers and PN skin boosters—into the Chinese market. CGBio plans to combine UPS BIO's local distribution and marketing strengths to target broader customer segments and distribution channels. "In the Chinese medical aesthetics market, not only product competitiveness but also brand strategy and local partnerships are crucial," said CGBio CEO Yoo Hyun-seung. "Through collaboration with UPS BIO, we will promote Eloyan's successful market entry while continuing to drive global growth of our regenerative medicine-based aesthetic portfolio, including HA fillers, in China and beyond."
Biosolution to attend BIO USA 2026, strengthens global partnering ahead of CartiLife Phase 3
Biosolution announced on June 2 that it will participate in the 2026 BIO International Convention (BIO USA) in San Diego, USA, from June 22-24. The event gathers over 1,600 global pharmaceutical and biotech companies from more than 70 countries, serving as the industry's largest business development and investment platform. Biosolution plans to hold business meetings with multinational pharmaceutical companies. At the convention, Biosolution will present clinical results of its next-generation injectable pipeline beyond its existing autologous chondrocyte therapy, diversifying its portfolio. Allogeneic chondrocyte therapy 'Cartiroid' received IND approval for Phase 1/2 in Australia in January this year, while injectable osteoarthritis drug 'Sperocure' submitted a Phase 1/2a IND to Korea's MFDS in November last year and awaits results.
The company's core pipeline, autologous chondrocyte therapy 'CartiLife,' is advancing its overseas market strategy. Having completed Phase 2 in the US and preparing to initiate Phase 3, Biosolution will discuss various business options including local co-development partnerships, technology licensing, and equity investment at the event. CartiLife has received FDA Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation and obtained special approval from China's Hainan Boao Lecheng Medical Pilot Zone in April. Biosolution is concurrently conducting marketing discussions with local distributors for direct entry into mainland China. The company continues to participate in major international events like BIO USA and the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, expanding its global network. "This year marks a meaningful period where our cell therapy's overseas expansion has become visibly tangible, starting with the Hainan pilot zone approval, and we expect heightened interest from global big pharma," a Biosolution representative said. "Through BIO USA, we will actively showcase our proprietary technology and global clinical achievements, create diverse business development opportunities, and rapidly prove our value in the global cell therapy market."
What buyers should watch
For medical aesthetics distributors and clinic buyers, CGBio's new HA filler brand 'Eloyan' entering the Chinese market signals potential opportunities for multi-brand strategies in regional markets. The partnership with UPS BIO, which has established hospital networks and KOL marketing, suggests a focused approach to channel-specific distribution. Importers should monitor how this brand differentiates from existing GISELLELIGNE products and whether similar partnership models could be replicated in other markets. Biosolution's progress with CartiLife, particularly its FDA RMAT designation and Hainan pilot zone approval, indicates advancing regulatory pathways for cell-based aesthetic and orthopedic products. Distributors interested in regenerative medicine categories should track the company's Phase 3 readiness and potential licensing opportunities. SK Bioscience's UNICEF contract, while focused on vaccines, demonstrates the company's manufacturing reliability and regulatory compliance—factors that matter for any medical aesthetics supplier considering partnerships with Korean biotech firms for sterile injectable production.
Source: Read the original report | Published: June 02, 2026